The Boy Aviators in Africa Part 32

"What is it you have to tell me?" asked Frank.

For reply the man put his hand up to Frank's ear and whispered cautiously.

"Is that worth anything?" he asked after he had imparted the information.

"Well I should say so," cried Frank joyously, and he slipped the man a bill of large denomination.

"I'll buy everybody a drink," shouted Davis, shuffling off.

"Come on, boys, we've no time to lose!" Frank exclaimed the next minute and they hastened round to the house of M. Desplaines'

friend.

This time that worthy was at home and greeted them warmly. He had a plentiful stock of gasoline more than enough, he said--and he gladly sold them all they wanted.

In a few minutes the Golden Eagle II's main and reserve tanks were replenished to the full and the boys were ready for a record flight to the wreck.

So far Frank had not divulged to the others what his information concerning the wreck was that he had received from Davis, and he did not now though he felt sorely tempted to.

Amid cheers from the crowd the Golden Eagle II, with all the adventurers aboard, soared once more into the air; but this time headed out to sea. They had not risen a hundred feet before they sighted the wreck, which had struck round a low point out of sight from the town. She lay, a dismal-looking object, heeled over to one side; but Frank saw, to his intense joy, that there was still a feeble curl of smoke coming from her stack.

This meant that the water had not yet extinguished her fires and was favorable to the daring plan he had conceived.

As the Golden Eagle II drew nearer, the figure of old Luther Barr could be plainly seen rus.h.i.+ng about on the upper bridge.

He seemed demented with terror.

"Save me! save me! the s.h.i.+p is going down!" he cried in agonized tones, as a few minutes later the aeroplane swung in big circles above his head.

The boys, despite their righteous anger at the wicked old man, yet could not help feeling some pity mingled with their amus.e.m.e.nt as the old coward ran about the bridge like a crazy man.

"We'll get you off if you'll agree to do something for us," hailed Frank through his megaphone as the aeroplane soared in big circles round the wreck and the distracted old man.

"Anything, anything!" cried back old Barr piteously.

"Will you sign a release for the ivory you stole from us, admitting your theft?" asked Frank.

"Yes, yes, my boys. I'll sign anything, but get me off. I don't want to die like this. Oh this is a terrible end!"

"What are you going to do, Frank?" asked Billy, as the Golden Eagle II, in obedience to Frank's controlling hand, began to drop.

"You see that sand bank that the falling tide has exposed," was Frank's reply.

They all nodded.

"I am going to land there and we can wade through the water to the yacht. I judge the water isn't more than three feet deep at the deepest part."

The landing was made without a hitch--the sand being of the hard-ribbed variety that covers the numerous reefs along the west African coast.

After a short interval of wading the boys stood on the deck of the Brigand, where she hung on the edge of the reef. Frank's sharp eyes noticed that except for her forefoot the vessel was in deep water, as the reef dropped off quite abruptly.

Old Barr received them with almost hysterical joy.

"This is better than I deserve, boys; better than I deserve," he kept repeating.

"You had better stop your sniveling," said Frank sharply, thoroughly disgusted with the cowardly old rascal. "Where are pens, ink and paper?"

The ivory merchant led the way to the chart-house. "Be quick, boys--she might sink," he stuttered.

The doc.u.ment that Frank dictated, Luther Barr signed and the others witnessed, read like this:

I, Luther Barr, of New York, do here by deed, make over and a.s.sign to the Boy Aviators--namely Frank and Harry Chester, William Barnes and Lathrop Beasley, all my share, claim or equity in the ivory which I wrongfully stole from them, which fact I with shame acknowledge. I hereby affix my signature which I admit in the presence of witnesses to be my true manner of signing."

"Now," said Frank, "just to show we are not mean, there is some ivory left in the Moon Mountains, near the spot which is indicated on your map. Sikaso, a faithful Krooman, hid it for us when we could not carry it away. If you find it you can have it."

The old man rubbed his hands in greedy glee.

"Oh thank you, boys; thank you, I'll find it, I'll find it," he croaked, his wrinkled old face wreathed in smiles.

"Lathrop," ordered Frank, "you and Billy take Mr. Barr back to sh.o.r.e. Harry and I will stay here.

"We have a lot to do. Leave the Golden Eagle ash.o.r.e to be packed and forwarded later. Hurry back in the launch."

"What are you going to do?" demanded Barr.

"I think that your interest in our movements ceased with the signing of this paper," rejoined Frank.

At that moment the Brigand gave a violent shudder as if she was indeed about to go down. With a shrill scream of terror old Barr ran out on deck and hastily clambered down on to the reef. From there he waded with Billy and Lathrop to the Golden Eagle II, and was taken ash.o.r.e.

"Now then to work," said Frank as the aeroplane winged her way sh.o.r.eward with their enemy.

"What are you going to do?" demanded Harry in an astonished tone.

There didn't seem to be much to do to his mind but wait till they were taken off the stranded yacht by the launch.

"You'll see," replied Frank. "In the first place, Harry, the Brigand was never in any danger of sinking. She is as sound as a dollar."

"Are you crazy?" cried Harry, "why there's a lot of water in her engine-room. She must have sprung a leak as big as a house."

Frank laughed.

"There are more ways of killing a cat than by choking it with cream," was his cryptic remark. "What would you say if I told you that in an hour's time we, will have every drop of water out of the yacht, and that following that we will have her afloat again at high-water."

"That you are a marvel."

"Well, it's going to happen--come with me."

Frank led the way to the engine-room.

"Luckily I know something about marine engines since we took that trip on the gun boat in Nicaragua."